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What do people mean when they say, “It’s not personal, it’s just business”? A pedestrian view of this saying could be that a business decision was made based on financial consideration over relationship. In other words, business is about making money and relationships are subordinated to this objective.
This perspective is rooted in the assumption that the seminal purpose of business is profit. And profit is deemed to be the property of the owners of the business. Workers in the organization are taught that their purpose is to maximize shareholder value—meaning to make as much money as possible with few, if any, qualifiers.
If money is the Holy Grail of business, is it acceptable for workers to lie, steal, or cheat to maximize profit and shareholder value? There are many examples of organizations that engaged in these behaviors. Consider Enron, WorldCom, and Tyco. All these organizations engaged in nefarious activities and suffered the consequences. The end result of Enron and WorldCom was organizational collapse. In Tyco’s case, the company continues but the CEO was convicted of crimes and sentenced to prison.
When money becomes the seminal purpose of business with few, if any, qualifiers, then human behavior becomes egregious and leads to organizational calamity. Why then would human beings engage in such behavior?
May I suggest that this is an example of the worship of money? At the root of the worship of money are several assumptions. First, it is assumed that money is the measure of success. Second, money is viewed as the means for security in this life. And third, it is assumed that money belongs to mankind.
None of these assumptions are true from a biblical perspective. Money is not the indicator of success; rather, success is best measured by obedience to God (John 17:4). Money is not the basis for security in this life; rather, security is found in right relationship with Christ (Revelation 3:17–18). And money does not belong to mankind but to the Lord (Haggai 2:8).
Since all the money belongs to the Lord (the Master), this means that human beings are simply stewards of assets that God places in their hands. Our role as stewards is expressed in 1 Corinthians 4:2: we are to be faithful. Consequently, we must seek to utilize money in accordance with the will of the Master. In any situation regarding the use of an asset, the ultimate question is, what does the Master wish to do with the asset? To presume anything else is a failure to understand that we humans are simply stewards.
Freedom from the worship of money only occurs when all stakeholders in an organization (shareholders, managers, workers, vendors, contractors, associates, creditors, etc.) work solely for the best interest of the Master, recognizing that all assets belong to Him not the stakeholders.
Here is your business tip. Leading an organization is first and foremost an exercise in stewardship. The real owner of the organization (and all assets of the organization) is the Master; human stakeholders are simply stewards. Stewards are required to faithfully steward the organization according to the will and ways of the Master. “It’s not personal, it’s just business” or “What’s in it for me?” are inappropriate attitudes for stewards to embrace. The only valid question for stewards in any situation is “What’s in it for the Master?” This perspective provides freedom from mammon worship and facilitates stewardship aligned with the will and ways of the Master.
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